My finished product!!

[kreaturekeeper]

it seems like this took forever.. but so worth the time and effort!!

[alessia55]

Looks great! What are you housing in there? And how are you going to heat it?

[kreaturekeeper]

Thanks! I am quite proud of my first building project :)
That is for my 3 y/o Ball python. 4'x2'x18" It has a 80watt radiant heat panel on top of the left side. There is a vent on both sides (low on hot side. high on cool side)
I know she doesn't need her branch but I find her trying to climb quite a bit.. I didn't make it very high as she is a tad clumsy :b

[Zoo Nanny]

You did a very nice job!

[rmfsnakes32]

Looks good very creative

[Danimal]

Nice Box, very attractive. That Piano hinge adds to the look but man I hate lining those up.

[Gungirl]

Looks good. I always put my hinges so they can not be seen by folding them flat and putting them between the door and the viv.. so its out of reach by the snake and I dont have to look at much of it.

[SWDK]

Very nice Viv you've created. I'm sure your BP will enjoy it.

[kreaturekeeper]

thanks guys! gungirl- ya i thought about that but I kinda like the look of the hinge. as well as it was a bit easier to put it this way.
So now I have a bit of question for you folks. I have had it in my room with the RHP on (snake is not in it yet until I get temps right) I plugged in the RHP without a thermostat (just to see how hot it gets) Last night. It is only at 80 F on hot side right now.... :S
Does it really take this long to heat up?? or is mine defective or something...

[Gungirl]

Thats odd... It should get much hotter much faster. The ones I get I plug in to off gas for a few days at full power and with in 2 hrs they are at 110-130 with no thermostat. They say you don't need to off gas them but I feel safer doing so. I don't know the brand you have but it might be worth shooting an email to the company.

The cage temp might take a while to heat up due to air flow and temps in your house. If you have to much air flow the temps in the cage might never get high enough. Try covering your vents for a while and see if the temps spike. Are you measuring the temps with a temp gun or a thermometer?

[kreaturekeeper]

what do you mean by "off gas them" I got mine from cornels world in Calgary. Reptile basics designed the panel the site says. I think I will shoot him an e mail. It is about 72F in my house and the tank is in my bedroom so not much air flow. I only have two small vents (because my door doesn't make a perfect seal. pretty close though) but I will try to cover them and see.
I have a little probe I put under the hide on top of the bedding and the cord attaches to a digital screen. They are accurate. when I put my hand in it just doesn't feel warm enough...

[kreaturekeeper]

pics of how I am getting my temps

[bushsnake]

Thats a pretty big enclosure for one heat panal

[Gungirl]

I use an 80 watt in my 4x2x2 so the size of the heat panel and the viv are fine. Of gas- to allow the product to reach maximum temp and allow it to burn off any fumes that might be created by the temps.

Ok so you are measureing the temp in the hide.. hrmm..


do you have a heat gun? If so then check the temp of the heat panel itself and check the temp on top of the hide. If not then.... Idk.

[kreaturekeeper]

bushsnake- It is 22.5" long which almost takes up half of my ceiling space... I personally dont think that is my prob.
gungirl- Is that not where I am supposed to be measuring temp? I always thought it was the temps where the animal sits (which is 90%) in her hide. I will set my probe on top of the hide to see those temps but I don't have a heat gun.. The heat panel itself is quite warm to the touch but if I touch the bedding it is almost cool.... Defiantly not warm enough. ugh this sucks. That thing was not cheap and it doesn't even woe :S

[kreaturekeeper]

ok another factor i may not have taken into consideration is I use the coconut husk bedding which you have to soak to expand and it is still quite damp. Maybe its just taking a while to heat up the cool moist bedding?
Temps seem to be going up quite a bit when put on top of hide

[Gungirl]

Yes if the bedding is cool and damp it might take a while to get warm. This is why I wanted to see what the temp was on top of the hide. You do want to get the temp in the hide correct but I wanted to see what the temp was reading closer to the heat panel. The hide or substraight should never feel hot/warm to you though. Your body temp is higher than what you want to give your animal for a basking spot.

[kreaturekeeper]

The hide or substraight should never feel hot/warm to you though. Your body temp is higher than what you want to give your animal for a basking spot.
Ya this is true..
well after a while I am reading 90.8F on hot side and 78F on cool (on top of hides) so Im sure it will warm up eventually :S Ill keep you posed though.
Thanks for the tip. I feel a little better now.
It still should be much hotter than what I'm getting without a thermostat but it is most likely the damp bedding that is throwing it off...
i'll have to be patient.. haha thanks for the help everyone!!
I love this forum.

[Gungirl]

I wouldn't worry about it getting hotter as long as it gets as hot as you need it to. Set up the thermostat and let it run for another 2 days then insert snake and enjoy..lol

[kreaturekeeper]

Thanks gun girl!
Ill be patient and put a pic of my girl in her new tank when the time is right :D

[Terranaut]

Ambient room temps play a huge roll as well(didn't read every post not sure if it was mentioned) if my reptile room drops at all my heat panels are on alot more.
I keep the room 75-77. At 70 the panels are always on.